Breathe Free v. Breathe Freely

[Mi Mo]

Hello!

We are forming a group to advocate for clean air, and we're not sure which of the two is relevant to our aims: do we say "let's breathe freely" or do we say "let's breathe free"? I don't think this is as complicated as "I was born free/wild." In fact, I'm pretty sure it's the former: "let's breathe freely." But, just want to double-check with some experts out there.

Thanks!

 

[emsr2d2]

Hello!

We are forming a group to advocate for clean air, and we're not sure which of the two is relevant to our aims: do we say "Let's breathe freely" or do we say "Let's breathe free"? I don't think this is as complicated as "I was born free/wild." In fact, I'm pretty sure it's the former: "Let's breathe freely" but I just want to double-check with some experts out there.

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Welcome to the forum. :hi:

Grammatically, you're right - you need the adverb "freely" to describe how you want everyone to be able to breathe. (In the "I was born" sentence, "free" and "wild" are adjectives, and I'm not sure why you think that sentence is complicated.)

However, for what it's worth, I'm not sure that "Let's breathe freely" really gets your message across. People can breathe freely regardless of the air quality. Wouldn't it be clearer to say "[Let's] Breathe Clean Air!" or "We Want Clean Air!" (I have capitalised those words because I'm picturing them on a placard or a poster.)

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

I agree. Both "Let's breathe free" and "Let's breathe freely" are natural and grammatical, but neither is a clear or strong message.

 

[Tdol]

However, for what it's worth, I'm not sure that "Let's breathe freely" really gets your message across. People can breathe freely regardless of the air quality. Wouldn't it be clearer to say "[Let's] Breathe Clean Air!" or "We Want Clean Air!" (I have capitalised those words because I'm picturing them on a placard or a poster.)

Or We Need Clean Air to Breathe.

 

[Mi Mo]

Thanks SO much, everyone, for both the grammar and campaign advice! I agree that "let's breathe freely" doesn't quite have the right sound. But we are doing this for and in a town called Lexington (upto now most famous for the American Revolution, but perhaps our campaign will change that :lol, where there is a tradition of play on the word "Lex" for such endeavors. We gain an easy credibility by continuing in that tradition. So, I'm aiming for one or two words (of one or two syllables each) that would fit the purpose after "let's." Because removing impediments is what we need to be after to achieve our goal of clean air, I suppose I'm looking for something that provides that focus and mindset. Is there any circumstance under which "let's breathe free" would be grammatical? Feel free to make any other suggestions!

 

[Phaedrus]

Is there any circumstance under which "let's breathe free" would be grammatical?

Consider this use of "breathe free" in the poem printed on a plaque next to the Statue of Liberty:

". . . 'Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!'"

- Emma Lazarus, "The New Colossus"

There, "breathe free" means "breathe in a state of freedom." "Free" does not modify "breathe"; it applies instead to "your huddled masses."

 

[emsr2d2]

Thanks SO much, everyone, for both the grammar and campaign advice! I agree that "Let's breathe freely" doesn't quite have the right sound. But we are doing this for and in a town called Lexington (up space here to now most famous for the American Revolution, but perhaps our campaign will change that :lol, where there is a tradition of playing on the word "Lex" for such endeavors. We gain an easy credibility by continuing in that tradition. So, I'm aiming for one or two words (of one or two syllables each) that would fit the purpose after "Let's." Because removing impediments is what we need to be after to achieve our goal of clean air, I suppose I'm looking for something that provides that focus and mindset. Is there any circumstance under which "Let's breathe free" would be grammatical? Feel free to make any other suggestions!

As Phaedrus has demonstrated, "Let's breathe free" is grammatical. It's just that it doesn't mean what you want it to.

Are you suggesting that the final slogan would actually be "Lex Breathe Free!"?

 

[Mi Mo]

Got it! Thanks a ton, Phaedrus, for the explanation and fantastic reference! I understand now; I'm guessing that "breathe" is sort of like a linking verb in cases such as "...yearning to breathe free," which means essentially "...yearning to be free." So, yes, emsr2d2, maybe we can go with "Lex Breathe Free!" after all, if the Grammar Gods don't protest? Logic God would agree, I think: we can breathe/be free when we can breathe freely. Slogans aren't so much about precision, I'm also thinking, as they are about evoking a certain emotion, so long as the message isn't confusing.

 

[Tdol]

How about Lex breathes free?

 

[Mi Mo]

How about Lex breathes free?

That sounds terrific, too! Thank you!